  clevere1 Premium join:2002-01-06 Vancouver, WA
·Qwest.net
| Portland can't afford it.
For one, Portland can't afford to build it themselves. The Entire fricking state is in die straights when it comes to money.
If the companies agree to Portland's terms, let them build it.
They will may more revenue leasing the connection to other companies, and it would be cheaper than having to support "users". -- Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and thought to myself - "Where the hell is the ceiling???" |
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 fiberguy My views are my own. Premium join:2005-05-20
| Portland can ask for anything they want - if they can get it? that's another question. If a company wants to accept such idiotic terms, then it's their own fault.
So in other words, yea, I foot the bill, take the risk, open my private network to everyone else and stand to loose everything is and or when it fails? I'd like to shake the hand of the CEO of THAT company, as he's walking out the door for the last time and I say "hahahah - bye bye!" 
These are things you put to the voters. Ask them if they want it and tell them the price. Add a half cent sales tax if they want it. When will government stop this BS of making decisions for everyone and start asking the public on these issues? It would server two purposes. 1) Find out if there is even a demand for it. If only 20% say yes, then it's a waste of money. 2) If the people want it bad enough and flip a measly half cent on the sales tax, then the public has paid for it, the city can open the network to providers, create some more tax revenue, etc.. It's just a smarter way to go. |
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 jaybird45
join:2002-06-21 Alpharetta, GA | Oregon has no sales tax |
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 fiberguy My views are my own. Premium join:2005-05-20
| said by jaybird45 :Oregon has no sales tax Maybe that says alot as to why they are in a financial pickle then.
The way I see it, add one, or open up gambling.  |
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 dn0
join:2005-07-05 USA
| I lived in Portland a few years back. Asking for even a .5% sales tax is political suicide. This is the same scenario that kept the local cable co's from deploying broadband for years. I worked for the local cable company when I lived there, and I agreed with there reluctance to deploy broadband if the the city going to force them to allow any schmuck onto THEIR lines (PLines that are 100% bought and paid for and maintained by the cable co). If the city would not have pulled this, then the people would have had broadband years earlier. This is just like forcing McDonald's to let BK, Wendy's and anyone else sell there burgers at any McDonald's restaurant.
I see that the City of Portland is still looking for suckers........... |
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  EnasYorl Thieves World
join:2001-12-02 West
·Verizon Online DSL
edit: October 29th, @05:05PM
| reply to fiberguy said by fiberguy :said by jaybird45 :Oregon has no sales tax Maybe that says alot as to why they are in a financial pickle then. The way I see it, add one, or open up gambling. Oregon Lottery dates back to 1985
Oregon Lottery (1985*) »www.oregonlottery.org/welcome.php Economic Development $1.2 billion Public Education $1.47 billion Natural Resource Programs $136.5 million
»www.ost.state.or.us/news/NewsRel···tion.htm
»www.onwardoregon.org/site/apps/n···t=429513
»www.onwardoregon.org/site/apps/n···b=368951
»www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/52.html
... Nobody loves the sales tax, but its fair to say nobody despises it quite as conspicuously as the voters of Oregon. Nine sales tax initiatives have appeared on state ballots; nine have been turned down. The most recent one, in 1993, was defeated by a 78 percent majority.
Life can be fun without a sales tax or at least it can be a lot simpler. You can buy a cup of coffee priced at 99 cents and hand the clerk 99 cents. And, of course, less-affluent people who spend a higher percentage of their income on goods are benefited. But some of the side effects are not as pleasant. With no sales tax, Oregon is more dependent on income tax receipts than any other state in the country. It gets about three-quarters of its total tax revenue from that one source, double the national average....
»governing.com/gpp/2003/gp3or.htm
P.S. I don't think ANY State should spend Tax money on a wireless network. Spend it on Jails and Roads 1st. |
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 fiberguy My views are my own. Premium join:2005-05-20
| I agree - not about tax money either on a wireless network. However, my comment was that if people want it - let them vote for it along with the tax that would pay for it. If the people want it and agree to pay for it? well, then they can have it. And, if the people vote for it and it passes? well, it's their choice and screw the rodes and jails. I believe first and foremost in letting the people speak. It seems to work well in Utah, or was it colorado? One of those two states puts every spending issue before the voters and government grows when the people say so. |
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  garagerock Premium join:2002-06-14 Louisville, KY
| reply to EnasYorl quote: P.S. I don't think ANY State should spend Tax money on a wireless network. Spend it on Jails and Roads 1st
So all of your drunk drivers will have a cell to go to? Wow, great foresight. Jails and roads. Sad. |
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  EnasYorl Thieves World
join:2001-12-02 West | States on the West Coast are letting out Child Molesters after a few years. Not to mention Meth Labs are rampant. If you think Drunk drivers are the largest issue. You are NOT informed at all. |
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 fiberguy My views are my own. Premium join:2005-05-20
| reply to garagerock My comment was to let the people vote and make their own choice, but it's clear that some people here think that they know what's better for the people than they themselves do.
I wonder if Illusionist should run for office, because he sure sounds like a politician. |
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